


Taking Chances

by Ldybug521



Category: Game of Thrones RPF, Rory McCann - RPF, Scottish Actor - RPF
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-07
Updated: 2019-12-14
Packaged: 2020-08-11 11:16:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 8,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20152702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ldybug521/pseuds/Ldybug521
Summary: Rory returns to the Game of Thrones set in season 6. Is he finally willing to take a chance on love?





	1. Transformation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> https://slynn-77.tumblr.com

“Fuck off,” a deep Scottish accent resounded through the small pub. 

Georgina took a step back and shook her head. Surely he wasn’t talking to her like that. She was simply walking through the crowd to get to the bar and had brushed past him after saying ‘pardon me.’ 

She had recognized him as the actor, Rory McCann, who played Sandor “The Hound” Clegane in the critically acclaimed show Game of Thrones. She had heard that he could be a bit gruff if he didn’t want to be bothered by fans. 

“I’m sorry, but were you speaking to me like that?” Georgina bravely asked the gentleman, her southern drawl came out even more prominent. 

Eyes wide he looked at her and shook his head muttering “fans” under his breath and turned back to his drink. 

Georgina rolled her eyes and proceeded to the bar and ordered a gin and tonic. 

He couldn’t keep his eyes off of her. She had been quite sassy with him. She was stunning in a different way. Edgy with cropped wavy honey brown hair that was not quite shoulder length. Half sleeve of colorful tattoos adorned her left arm. He was pretty sure she had more and he would love to find her hidden ones. He could see them peeking out on her back in the red tank top she wore after she took her coat off. Curves in all the right places, especially her backside. But her smile was captivating. It radiated to her eyes as she threw back her head and laughed at something the bartender said. Damn. He had blown it. Why did he have to be so grumpy sometimes? ‘Shit,’ Rory jerked his head back down, ‘she caught me staring,’ he mumbled to himself. She flashed him a smile. He quickly finished his drink and headed out into the night. 

~~~~~~

The next few days Georgina spent time setting up her station in the makeup trailer with the new material she would be needing. Time to get used to 2 am work times again. She had been promoted to working with a few principal actors on the set of Game of Thrones after working with the crowd/extras during season 5. She had loved working in Belfast, Ireland. It was a stark contrast to the United States and the state of Georgia where she had lived most of her life. 

“Everyone have their assignments? Okay good, see you all bright and early in the morning.” Colin, prosthetics supervisor, said as he was about to dismiss the team meeting. “Georgina, I would like a quick word.” 

“Yes?” She questioned as she looked over the notes from the meeting. 

“You have everything you need? We are trying to make this a more streamlined process and not take as long.” Colin asked. 

“Yes, I have been practicing and have it down to about 2 hours, but think I can get it down to an hour and a half.” She replied. “As long as all goes well and everything works the way it should. We will find out in the morning.” 

“Good, that will make production happy. See you bright and early in the morning. Get some rest.” Colin sounded relieved. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Georgina was setting up the last of the prosthetic material she would be using. Man, 2:30 am had come early. She finally sat down and was looking over her notes as she sipped her hot tea and ate her bagel to help calm her nerves. She looked up as soon as she heard the door to the trailer open. 

“Good morning!” She smiled as she stood up and walked over to greet the actor. She suddenly felt very tiny standing near the 6’6” actor who towered over her. “My name is Georgina, but everyone calls me Georgia. I’ll be doing your prosthetics and makeup.” She stuck her hand out, hoping he wouldn’t notice her nervousness. 

“Oh shit” Rory McCann muttered under his breath as his eyes got wide. He recognized her from the pub a few nights ago. “Good morning.” He finally managed to get out and his hand engulfed hers. 

“If you’ll have a seat here,” Georgia walked over and patted the back of the chair keeping a professional demeanor and smile on her face. “Can I get you anything? Coffee, tea, water?” 

“Um, no thank you an assistant has gone to get me some coffee from craft services.” He sat down in the chair. 

“Welcome back by the way,” Georgia’s face lit up. “So the hope is that we can get your  
application down to an hour and a half from the normal 4 hours it took in the first 4 seasons.” She knew he recognized her from the pub and decided to play it cool. No sense in rehashing something that was done and over. 

“Thank you. It’s good to be back.” He said softly as he sank into the seat. “Hopefully, we can cut some of the time down. It’d be nice to not sit here for 4 hours in the wee hours of the morning.” 

Georgia set out to working on transforming Rory to Sandor. She wasn’t one for small talk and apparently neither was he, so she worked quietly, softly humming to the music playing on her Bluetooth speaker. 

She gently turned his head to better access his ear and realized just how up close and personal she was with this very good looking man. He faintly smelled of sandalwood and cigarettes. As she stepped closer to look at the scar she took a deep breath and let out a sigh. 

“You okay?” Rory inquired. 

“Yes, just lost deep in thought.” She whispered.

“Want to talk about it?” In a way he hoped she didn’t, but also would like to know what she was thinking about. He had enjoyed her quiet humming. In seasons past the makeup artists had been overly chatty and it made him even more grouchy than normal. 

“All done.” She remarked a while later. “That only took 2 hours. You’re ready to go now.” 

“Thank you.” He got up and turned to the door. “I guess I’ll see you in the morning then.” 

“I’ll be out on set shortly. I have a few more things to do here this morning.” 

“See you around then.” And just like that he was gone.


	2. Intrigued

Georgia wrapped her plaid scarf around her neck before grabbing her makeup bag to head out onto set. The thoughts from this morning intermingled with her first encounter with Mr. McCann swirled in her mind as she walked to the field where they were shooting. What a stark contrast it had been. She knew he wasn’t the man who barked at her just a few nights before, but was he always as quiet as he was this morning?

He was quite in his element chopping wood and hauling logs. ‘Damn, he was sexy,’ she thought as she walked towards him to check his prosthetic. It was warmer than normal outside and he was doing physical labor. Sweat would pool underneath the scar material and she had to make sure it was still secure. 

A couple of hours later as she was enjoying the sunshine on her face she heard the director call for a lunch break. She looked around and saw Colin coming over to her. 

Rory scanned the crowd to see if he could find Georgia. He caught a glimpse of her golden brown hair blowing in the wind, today it was straightened. He was taken aback at the peace that radiated from her. She had a dazzling smile that reached her forest green eyes. Something about her unsettled him this morning. He wasn’t sure if it was in a good or bad way, but he knew he wanted to have a conversation with her. 

He heard the sweetest laughter as he approached her and noticed Colin was who she had been laughing with. “Hi Colin,” he reached out to shake his hand. Rory waited a minute and then stammered, “I’m sorry to interrupt, but would you care to have lunch with me, Georgia?” He looked at Colin and then to Georgia. 

“Sure. I’d like that” Georgia answered as she excused herself from Colin. 

They settled into the quiet that had surrounded them this morning as they walked to craft services to grab a quick lunch. Georgia had to take two strides to his one since he was so tall. Georgia was a little above average height at 5’7”. 

“How do you like Ireland?” Rory inquired after they sat at a table away from the crowd. 

“I like it, but I prefer Scotland.” Georgia blushed, hoping he didn’t notice the scarlet creep up her neck onto her cheeks. 

“Why is that?” He asked. 

“I feel at home there. When we were on hiatus last year I took some time and traveled through Scotland. It’s in my blood. My 4 time great-grandfather migrated from Scotland to America. They ultimately ended up in South Georgia after living in South Carolina for a while.” Georgia hoped that wasn’t too much information. 

“That’s a brilliant reason. I’ve not really spent much time in Georgia other than catching a connecting flight in Atlanta a time or two.” 

“You’re not missing much. It’s hot and humid.” She laughed. “I don’t miss it!” 

“Georgia, I wanted to apologize for...” He barely got the words out before she interrupted him. 

“No worries. It’s done. You must’ve been having a rough day.” She didn’t really want to talk about it. “We are all allowed to have rough days.” 

“I know, but I should never talk to...” 

“Anyone like that? Please, I’ve seen how some fans are. It’s the nature of the beast. I’ve told people to fuck off before and didn’t think twice about it. Can you pass me the pepper, please?”

Rory just looked at her in disbelief and passed her the pepper. They continued to talk about lighthearted subjects like sports, hiking, boating, and music. 

After they finished eating he leaned forward, his steely grey eyes wide holding eye contact with hers, eyebrows raised and stated “you intrigue me.”

Georgia met his glance and flashed him a playful smile. She heard her phone buzz and broke eye contact to look at the screen. 

“I have to go...it’s a phone call from back home.” Georgia abruptly grabbed her things and said, “I’ll catch you on set later. Thanks for the lunch conversation” before he thought she had lost all of her manners.


	3. Awkward

The next morning Rory was pacing around outside smoking a cigarette and drinking his coffee before heading into the makeup trailer. Thoughts running rampant in his mind. This lady in one day had been his undoing. He had always lived a pretty solitary life, but meeting her had him questioning whether he wanted to continue life that way. But why? He kept asking himself. He barely knew her. She wasn’t his typical type. She was thicker than most women he had ever been attracted to and was tatted up. She was athletic, smart, funny, and exuded confidence which was super sexy. 

Colin walked by and interrupted Rory’s thoughts. “Good morning. Is Georgia not here yet?” Colin asked. 

“Oh,” Rory shuffled. “I don’t know I haven’t been in yet.” 

Colin noticed Rory’s abnormal demeanor, but attributed it to being early in the morning and he proceeded to go into the makeup trailer. Rory not far behind him. 

“Good morning, gentlemen!” Georgia addressed the men when they walked in. She was rolling up her yoga mat. “I’ve been waiting for you.” She looked up at Rory and flashed a small smile. 

“Aye! I was drinking my coffee before I came in.” 

“You know you’re welcome to bring it in with you.” Colin interjected. “I was just checking to make sure everything was okay, Georgia. You seemed a little shaken after the phone call from home yesterday.” 

“Yes, it was a good call. My son was calling to tell me I was an aunt again. My brother and his wife had their second baby. It’s a boy.” She grinned. “But it made me miss home a little.”

“Congratulations! You’re going back stateside when we go on break right?” Colin asked. 

“That’s the plan. My son will be finished with tech school in a few weeks and then will probably be deployed, so I want to go see him before he leaves.” She explained. 

“Alright, well I’ll let you get to it.” Colin acknowledged before he left. 

“You ready?” Georgia asked Rory. 

“You have a son old enough to be in the military?” He blurted out. “You must’ve been a young mum.” 

“Yes, I do and I was 19.” Georgia stated very matter of factly. “I graduated high school with a 2 year college degree. I met a marine that summer, fell in love, got pregnant, married him, got accepted to nursing school, had a baby, finished nursing school, and got a divorce all within 3 years. Some of the best and worst years of my life.” 

Rory was speechless. 

“Ya want another cup of coffee?” She broke the silence. “I’m gonna make a cup of tea. I need something before we get started.” 

“Aye.” He shook his head. 

“How do you like it?” 

“Just black, please.” 

“I brought bagels if you’d like one. They are on the table there.” She pointed to a table in the back. 

“Thank you.” 

Georgia was humming a tune as she set to making tea and coffee. 

Rory grabbed a bagel and sat down in his chair and was watching her. 

She brought his mug to him and their fingers lightly grazed as she handed it to him and she could feel her breath go shallow. She took a step back and turned from him. What was happening to her? 

They sat having their quick breakfast in silence. When Georgia was done she set about again transforming Rory to Sandor. 

“I’ll see you around on set.” Rory spoke before he left. 

“You sure will.” She replied back. 

Rory and Georgia got along nicely. Before long they would set into their morning routine. Kind of like Groundhog Day, the same day in and day out. Mornings were their quiet times, but would chat during the times they were able to grab lunch or dinner together. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

4 weeks later 

“What in the actual fuck?” Georgia was yelling. “This has been the same shit from you since day one!” 

Rory had a bewildered look on his face as he took a step backwards to the door. 

“He’s a grown man and can handle his own shit now, Alex. I’m not giving you another cent. You can take me to court if you want, but like my attorney said that the agreement was until he turned 19. And his birthday was a fucking week ago.” She snapped. She turned around and realized she wasn’t alone in the trailer anymore. “I’ve got to go.” She almost threw her phone across the room. 

“Don’t ever get married or have kids!” She grumbled. 

“I’m sorry for intruding.” Rory quickly apologized for overhearing a very personal conversation.

“No, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have answered it, but thought it would be a quick conversation. I should know with him it’s never quick unless it’s sex with him or our marriage. Ugh, he’s such an asshole. Always has been.” She rolled her eyes. 

“Want to talk about it over a pint?” Rory asked quietly. “I am done for today and thought maybe you’d like to go grab a drink if you were free.” 

She looked up at him with tears threatening to spill. He closed the distance between them wrapped his arms around her. “Yes.” She quietly said as her face rested on his chest. 

She took a deep breath in and regained her composure. She stepped back and ran her fingers through her hair. “I just need to grab my bag and then I’ll be ready to go.” Her mouth curved into a small smile. 

He nodded his head. “I’ll phone for a car.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~

“This place looks familiar.” Her eyes sparked with a little sass. 

Rory reared his head back and laughed. 

“What would you like to drink?” He asked. 

“I’ll have a pint of Guinness, please.” She replied and took a seat at the high top table in the back of the pub. 

“I’ll be back in a few.” He said. 

Georgia watched him walk to the bar. He was incredibly handsome, ruggedly so, a real man's man. Down right sexy, to be honest; She could hardly keep her eyes off him. But he was so much more; caring, funny, sarcastic, and calming. The last four weeks working with him had been a blast and she hoped she would continue to work with him in the future. She was rubbing her neck looking down at her phone when he walked back with their pints. 

“Thank you.” She smiled as she took her drink from him. He chose to sit next to her instead of across. ‘Interesting choice,’ she thought to herself. 

“Want to talk about it?” He softly asked after a few minutes. 

“Where do I even begin?” She laughed and took a long sip of her beer. “I raised Jacob with help from my family until he turned 13, then he went to live with his dad, and I agreed to pay child support until he turned 19. That was all part of our divorce agreement. Now he wants to try and collect alimony since the child support has stopped. Jacob is in the Marine Corp now and is living on his own. Alex, my ex-husband, retired from the Marine Corp and was wounded in combat...he doesn’t need my money.” 

“That’s absurd.” 

“I should have never married him, but there was pressure from my parents since I was pregnant.” Sadness clouded her features. “The best things I got out of that whole situation was my son, Jacob, and my nursing degree. After Jacob moved to his dad’s I decided it was time for a change. I moved to Atlanta and started doing makeup part time. I found I had a knack for it and learned the special effects makeup. Working on a burn unit at the hospital for a few years helped.” 

“Aye, I see. That’s how you make my scars so realistic? You have experience with burns.” His eyebrows rose. 

“Yes.” She said simply before taking another swig of her beer. “Have you ever been married?” She realized how much she didn’t really know about him. 

“God, No!” He scrunched up his face. “I’m sorry, that sounded quite rude of me.” 

Georgia giggled. “No offense taken. I regret my first time around and don’t plan on ever getting married again. I’ve been on my own for too long now.” 

“Aye, me too! If you don’t mind me asking, why did you divorce?” 

“He cheated...”She admitted. “Repeatedly!”

“Cheated? On you? What a fool!” 

“Wanna dance?” Georgia blurted out. 

He looked around the pub and it was pretty empty for the time of night. “There isn’t any music playing?” 

“I’ll go pick something on the jukebox. Do they have a jukebox?” Her palm immediately went to her forehead. 

“As a matter of fact they do.” He pointed to the other side of the bar. 

“I’ll be right back.” She hopped down from her seat, brushing her hand across his broad shoulders as she walked past him. 

As she walked back towards Rory the first few notes of “Tennessee Whiskey” by Chris Stapleton started to play. He reached his hand out to pull her close and they started swaying to the music. He twirled her out and back in, then his hand slid down to her lower back. He lifted her chin and placed the most gentle kiss on her forehead. 

“Thank you! Sometimes I just have to dance it out.” Georgia giggled as they took their respective seats once the song ended. 

“It was fun. You want another drink?” Rory asked. 

“Sure. This round is on me. I’d like another Guinness, please.” She was handing Rory money. 

“I’ve got it.” He shook his head. 

They drank another pint and talked about her nursing career and his life on his boat. 

“Closing time.” The bartender announced. 

“Guess it’s time to go!” Georgia was pulling her jacket on. 

“I forgot to call for a car.” 

“The hotel isn’t that far we can walk if you want.” 

They headed out into the night and walked toward the hotel. She felt him intertwine his fingers with hers.


	4. Missing

The next few weeks were weird for Georgia. She missed working with Rory, but enjoyed getting to know some of the other cast members.

She and Rory had texted and talked on the phone a little, but he was out sailing on his boat and cell service was spotty. 

Rory couldn’t wait to get back on set for his second episode of season 6. He had missed filming, but he had missed seeing Georgia every day. He only had one more week off before he headed back to Belfast. 

“You’ll be back right?” Colin asked Georgia as she gathered her things from the makeup trailer. 

“Yes, I’ll be back. I should only be gone for a week. I meet with my attorney the first day back and my son will be home the same time before he is deployed.” Georgia said zipping up her bag. 

“I will keep you updated and if anything changes you’ll be the first to know. I’ve got to go my car is waiting to take me to the airport.” She gave him a quick hug and was off. 

After settling in her seat on the plane, Georgia tried calling Rory. Straight to voicemail again. The message to turn off all electronic devices came on overhead, so she turned her phone off and opened her papers from the attorney. 

Rory was sitting on his boat looking out over the expansive ocean, the mountains in the horizon. He was headed back to dock his boat at the marina before going back to Northern Ireland. He had spent the last month thinking about Georgia and how he had this insane instinct to want to protect her. He wasn’t one to think about long term relationships or marriage, but he could definitely see himself spending more time with her. 

~~~~~~~

Rory walked into the makeup trailer and was greeted by an old familiar face, but not the one he was expecting to see. “Good morning.” He greeted Marisa, but looked around for Georgia. 

“Good morning, Rory.” Marisa smiled. “Georgia isn’t here, so I’ll be doing your makeup.” 

“Aye.” He grunted, tossed the bag of muffins on a side table and took his seat, all the while wondering where Georgia was. 

As Marisa started the process he realized how much he missed her. How she smelled like pomegranates. Her emerald eyes that sparkled when she smiled. He didn’t realize how intimate they had been when she would lean in to paint on his face, how she cupped his chin and lightly grazed his beard to turn his head. Damn, he missed her something fierce. He wondered why she hadn’t called or at least texted him to tell him she was leaving. 

Later that night he sat in the chair reading the newspaper in his hotel room. It was late when his phone rang. 

“Hello.” He answered. 

“Rory, I didn’t wake you did I?” Georgia asked softly. 

“No, I was reading the paper. Is everything okay?” 

“Yes, I wanted to hear your voice. I miss you.” He could hear the smile in her voice. “I tried calling you several times.” 

“I miss you, too.” He really did. “I finally got a new phone. My old one was messing up and not letting me receive calls or texts. Colin explained why you had to leave suddenly. How’d everything go?” 

“Court went well. The judge allowed me to finally change my last name back to my maiden name. She told Alex that he was being ridiculous coming into her   
court room asking for me to pay him alimony. I’m glad he has no control over me anymore.” Georgia paused to take a breath. “Jacob is doing great. He’s changed so much. He leaves tomorrow to report to Camp Pendleton in California and then will deploy in a month. It was a blessing that I came home when I did. I’m ready to get back to Ireland though. My new nephew, Eli, is such a sweet baby. He’s so cute! Makes me miss days when Jacob was that little. How are you?” 

“I’m fine. Ready for you to return. Marisa is nice enough, but she talks too bloody much.” He yawned, but wondered what it would be like watching Georgia holding a little one, their little boy or girl. 

“I’m sorry for keeping you up. I’ll let you get to bed.” She said. 

“Aye. It is late, but I’m glad you rang. When will you be back?” He asked. 

“I’m scheduled to fly out in 2 days, but am trying to see if I can move my flight up.” 

“I’ll see you in a few days then. Goodnight, Georgia.” 

“Goodnight, Rory.” Georgia disconnected the call.


	5. Ouch

Georgia was out of breath as she ran to the gate. Bone tired as she had maneuvered airports for the past 24 hours, yet the only thing she could think about was getting back to Belfast, to him. She heard the last boarding call for her plane, barely making it from her connecting flight. She gave her boarding pass to the attendant and hustled down the gangway. She found her seat and was thankful that her upgrade allowed her to have a seat in first class on all of her flights. 

She just needed to get through this short flight then she could crash for a bit in her hotel room before she returned to work. She had sent a quick text to Rory to let him know she was almost back to Belfast as he asked her to do then she shut off her phone. 

She was excited to see him again, and had all but given up on ever finding someone who caught her interest. Yet somehow he had managed to slowly creep into her ever constant thoughts, the way she felt in his embrace, how their bodies seemed to fit perfectly, the way he would gently kiss the top of her head, and the way she could gaze at him for hours in silence and not tire of him. 

Georgia ran her fingers through her hair then rubbed her eyes trying to orient herself to where she was. She stretched out, realized she was in her hotel room in her soft bed, and grabbed her phone. Local time was 2:30 in the morning. Damn, she had slept almost 12 hours. 

Georgia pulled out her yoga mat and proceeded to do her morning stretches. She showered quickly, threw on a pair of jeans and a pink long sleeved shirt. After she laced her boots, she grabbed her phone and texted Colin to let him know she would be in today. She phoned for a car, grabbed her jacket, scarf, and bag, and headed out the door. 

She applied some powder to her face, mascara to her lashes, and lip tint on the short ride to the studio. She was anxious to get there. She checked her phone, hoping she would make it in time. She knew Rory would be on set in approximately 10 - 15 minutes and then she would have to wait for a break which could be hours. 

She stood at the makeup trailer, hands shaking. She took in a deep breath, turning the handle. The door was pulled with such force that she fell backwards down 2 steps and landed hard on her ass. 

“Shite!” Rory gasped. She heard as she looked up into his caring eyes. “Are you alright?” 

Georgia covered her face with her hands, then the laughter spilled out of her. “My middle name isn’t Grace for no reason.” 

She took the extended hand that was offered and found herself off the ground and in his embrace. She looked up and concern was still written all over his face. 

“I’m alright, I promise.” She reassured him. 

He placed a gentle kiss on top of her head. “I’ve got to go. Lunch today?” She nodded and then watched him walk away. 

~~~~~~~~

Later that day Georgia found her boss. “I can’t work with him anymore, Colin!” Georgia said with clinched fists. “You don’t understand.” 

Colin wasn’t sure what had happened or changed, but he stood there in disbelief. “Calm down and explain to me what’s going on.” 

“He changes things to make sure we have break at he same time. He isn’t following cast protocol. He stalks me on set and at the hotel. He won’t take no for an answer.” Georgia said softer. 

“What happened. I thought things were going well between you two?” Colin was bewildered. 

“He knocked me over this morning. This is my warning and I’m telling you now I will not work with him ever again. If you don’t change things I’ll quit.” Georgia yelled as she stomped off. 

He looked up and saw Rory walking towards him overhearing the last words Georgia yelled. Rory’s face blanched and his jaw dropped. He couldn’t get his feet to move to go after her.


	6. Stay

Rory leaned in close to Georgia’s ear, heart pounding and asked “Mind if I sit with you?” She looked up and nodded her head. He sat on the barstool next to her. 

“Can I get a scotch, please?” He asked the bartender. 

The silence hung heavy between them. It had never been like that before. He drank his scotch and watched as she ran her fingers through her hair. She looked like a mess, but a beautiful mess. 

“Want to talk about what happened today?” He inquired, realizing he had been holding his breath. 

She looked at him, tears spilling down her cheeks. 

“Let’s get you back to your room.” He stood up and guided her off the bar stool, wrapping her jacket around her. 

When they walked through the hotel entrance the concierge stopped them. 

“Ms. Gillis, you had a delivery while you were out. Would you like for me to have it brought to your room?” He asked politely. 

She took one look at the bouquet of flowers, walked over and dumped them in the nearest garbage receptacle. 

“If anything else comes for me from that asshole you can either throw it away or give it to someone who gives a damn.” She huffed.

She took a step and staggered toward the elevator. Rory caught her before she fell. 

She was trying to take her shoes off as soon as she walked in her room. She leaned over and fell again, for the third time that day. 

“Georgia, please let me help you.” Rory helped her up, guided her to the bed and took her shoes off. He pulled back the blanket and let her get in. He went to the mini bar and got a cold bottle of water. “You need to drink some of this.” 

Georgia complied. “Oh no!” She jumped up and ran to the bathroom. Too much whiskey on an empty stomach and it all came back up. 

Rory went to the shower and got the water warm for her. He watched as she brushed her teeth. “Come here.” He slowly took off her shirt that had vomit on it. She pulled her pants down. He saw her standing there in her bra and panties and he gasped when he saw the bruise on her right side. “Did I do that?” He choked. 

“No you bruised my ass and my ego a little. That jackass Darren, an extra on the set, did that.” 

She winced as she tried to unhook her bra off. He reached down and helped her. 

“I think you may need to have that side looked at. You might have a broken rib.” Concern filled his voice. “Is that who sent you the flowers?” 

“Yes, he has been pretty much stalking me for the last year and a half. I attract assholes.” She saw a flash of hurt in his eyes. “Not including you!” She leaned in and gave him a quick hug. 

She climbed in the shower and let the water wash away the last week of frustration and hurt. 

She found her pjs laid out on the counter when she got out of the shower. He’s so thoughtful, she smiled. She dried off, slid her night clothes on and walked into her room. Her heart fell when she realized he wasn’t there anymore. She climbed in her bed and pulled the covers up. She fell into a fitful sleep. She stirred when she heard the door open. She looked up and there he was. 

“I’m sorry I woke you. I went to my room to get you some aspirin. I wasn’t sure if you had any. Take these.” He handed her the medicine and a glass of water. “I’m going to let you get some sleep.” 

“Rory, will you please stay with me tonight?” She whispered. 

“Aye.” He removed his shoes and took his jeans off. She watched him as he walked over in his t-shirt and plaid boxer briefs. 

She pulled his arm over her after he laid down. She needed to feel protected even if for a little while. 

~~~~~~~~

Rory was sitting on the couch watching Georgia sleep. They needed to talk, but he didn’t want to wake her yet, she looked so peaceful. Thankfully he didn’t have to be on set today and they could spend some much needed time together. He had wanted to kiss her last night, run his fingers all along her tattoos that graced her side and back. He couldn’t believe how well her body molded into his. They fit together perfectly and he was completely smitten with her, but wondered if they could really make it work. He had always thought being in a relationship meant he would give up acting and he didn’t know if he was quite willing to make that sacrifice. 

Georgia rolled over and felt the warmth where Rory had been. She cannot believe that she had such strong feelings for him after a few short months, even though it felt like she had known him forever. Her heart fluttered and a smile crept onto her face. How did she get so lucky. He made her to want to take chances and believe in love again. 

“Good morning.” Georgia stretched her body out and grimaced. 

“Still sore?” He asked. 

“It hurts, but I don’t think anything is broken.” She answered as her stomach let out a loud rumble. 

“I hope you don’t mind I ordered room service.” He said as he watched her cross the room and head towards the bathroom. 

“Thank you!” She said. 

“Damn, what a spread.” Georgia said as she took a seat across from Rory at the table that had been brought in. She grabbed a piece of toast and took a bite. 

“Wasn’t sure what you’d want, so I ordered a little bit of everything.” He laughed. 

“I’ll have to do extra time on the elliptical later.” She piled sausage, hash browns, baked beans, and eggs on her plate. 

‘Why? You’re perfect just the way you are!’ Rory thought to himself. 

“What are you thinking?” She inquired after feeling his eyes trail up and down her body with a sultry smile forming on his lips. 

“Nothing,” he stammered quickly changing the subject, “so tell me about this fellow Darren,”

“He is an extra on the show that I worked with last season. He became infatuated with me and has been stalking me the last few weeks since he came back. He has somehow convinced Colin to move me back over to the extra crew.” Georgia rubbed her hands over her face. “He found me on set yesterday and came up and grabbed me from behind. It startled me and when I jerked away I fell over onto a piece of equipment on my side. He keeps sending me flowers and gifts. He always seems to show up wherever I am. I’ve told him I’m not interested. Never have been, but he won’t take no for an answer.” 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were going through any of this. I’ll talk to Colin and handle it.” He said through gritted teeth. 

He then took a sip of his coffee. “I overheard what you said to Colin yesterday and thought you were upset with me and didn’t want to work with me anymore. I didn’t mean to leave so abruptly outside of the trailer. I was running late to costuming due to my makeup taking a lot longer than normal. Trust me, I didn’t want to leave you.” 

“Oh no, I didn’t realize you heard me talking to Colin. I have missed you like crazy while I was away and you were on break. No wonder things were awkward at the bar last night.” She sighed, moved the room service table, and walked over to where he was sitting on the couch. She took his hand he offered up and straddled him. “Now it’s my turn to say I’m sorry.” 

“It was a simple misunderstanding...” Rory was saying when Georgia cupped her hands on his face and gently pressed her lips to his.


	7. Busted

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my bestie for helping me with this chapter! She is a total rock star!
> 
> Please feel free to leave a comment or a kudos!

A loud knock at the door interrupted Georgia and Rory’s make-out session. “Housekeeping.” They heard as the door opened. Georgia stumbled backward off Rory as she reached for her shirt that had ended up on the floor. 

“Just a minute.” Georgia practically yelled as she pulled the shirt over her head. 

“I apologize.” The housekeeper said. “I can come back later.” 

“Yes, please. If you can come back in about an hour that would be great.” She answered as she heard the door close. “Do you think she saw us?” She said in the same breath. 

“If she did it’s okay.” Rory replied nonchalantly. 

“But she could go to the media.” Georgia sat back in the chair across from him. 

“Aye, she could. But they sign non-disclosure agreements, so it’s highly unlikely she will. That and I’ll leave her a nice tip.” He winked. “Would it bother you if news got out about us?” 

“I really haven’t thought about it. I know you’re a really private person and want to keep it that way as much as possible. We haven’t even really discussed what ‘we’ are.” 

“Aye.” He tapped his pointer finger on his lips. “Got me thinking, we really haven’t been on a right proper date. Would you like to go to dinner tonight?” 

“I would love to.” She smiled up at him. 

“I’ll be back to pick you up around 7.” He leaned in and kissed her forehead. 

“I’ll be ready.” She walked him to the door. 

~~~~~~~~~

Once Rory left, Georgia decided she needed to burn off some of the pent up energy from the make out session earlier. Her side was still sore from the fall, so instead of hitting the gym she decided to go for a walk. It wasn’t often she found herself out in Belfast during normal hours; maybe she could do a little shopping for a new outfit. She had gone through her closet to pick an outfit for dinner, but wasn’t satisfied with her choices. 

After returning to her room with several bags, organizing her new purchases, she enjoyed a long shower. She sat at her vanity to apply her makeup and style her hair. Once she was satisfied with her look she walked out into the bedroom reviewing the outfits she had laid out on the bed. She chose the new emerald green wrap around dress, black strapped heels, and simple jewelry. She sprayed the midnight pomegranate body spray light over her body.

There was a firm knock on the door. She took a deep breath and opened it. 

There stood Rory in his dark denim jeans, a black Henley shirt, and a black flat cap with his jacket and scarf draped over his arm. 

He just stood there, staring. His eyes exploring Georgia’s entire body; From her head to toes and then back up to her eyes. He was speechless. 

“Hey handsome!” Georgia broke the silence. 

“Hi!” He uttered back. “You look," he paused momentarily. "You look lovely." He continued. "I don’t think I’ve ever seen you quite so dressed up.” 

Looking down, blushing, she thanked him. As she raised her head, their eyes locked and they exchanged the most genuine smiles. Georgia giggled and then said, in between chuckles, "We should get going before I completely undress you with more than my eyes."

~~~~~~~~

“This place is exquisite.” Georgia said as they stepped into the Michelin starred restaurant. 

“Not quite as exquisite as you, my love.” Rory whispered in her ear. 

He slid his hand down to her lower back as they followed the hostess to their table. Georgia felt the stares of the patrons and vaguely heard the whispers, but she only had eyes for Rory.

Dinner seemed to fly by although it felt like time stood still. Georgia and Rory might as well have been the only two people in the entire restaurant. Despite it being packed to the fullest, they were in their own world, completely smitten. 

After having spent so much time getting to know one another, there was no awkwardness that usually accompanies a first date. They were well beyond the basic level of niceties, delving into the deepest parts of each other.

“So when I was home I decided to finally put my house on the market.” Georgia took a sip of her wine. 

“Really? What are you going to do in your down time?” Rory questioned. 

“I want to do some more traveling through Scotland. Maybe try my hand at sailing. I am keeping my options open.” She winked at him. 

“We can definitely do that.” He raised his eyebrows at her and a smirk crept onto his lips. 

Georgia knew there was something special between them. She had dated off and on since her divorce and even had a serious relationship at one point that ended in disappointment. The man left her, moved to a new state to take a different job. Never even discussing it with Georgia, he pretty much up and left, and when it didn’t work out he tried to come crawling back to her. She shut herself off after that building a fortress around her heart. Slowly tearing down the walls little by little Rory made her feel alive again. 

The waiter came by to check on them one last time before placing the check on the table. After Rory paid for their meal he stood and pulled out Georgia’s chair for her. They slipped their coats on before heading out into the night. 

Walking down the street they heard music playing. Rory pulled her close and started dancing with her in the middle of the walkway, not a care in the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have pic sets that go with each chapter, but have not quite figured out how to insert them into the text. I also have them on my new tumblr (which I am learning to use).


	8. Confrontation

“Hey Georgia wait up!” He called out to her. Georgia walked faster towards the group of people that were standing outside of the makeup trailers. She could hear his footsteps coming closer. Panic was setting in. 

“Stop!” Rory cautioned. 

“Let me go, asshole.” Darren screeched. Georgia turned around to find Rory grabbing Darren by the neck. 

“Listen here you have two choices; One, you leave her the fuck alone or two, you leave her the fuck alone. If I catch you near her, looking at her, or even breathing in her direction I will make you regret the day you were born.” Rory ground out through clenched teeth. 

“Who do you think you are?” Darren challenged Rory. 

“Who I am is none of your business. But if you ever touch Georgia again, rest assured I’ll be your worst fucking nightmare. And leave another bruise on her body...” Rory threatened as he pushed Darren up against the wall.

Georgia watched Colin and two security officers walk towards the men. When they reached them she turned and walked into the makeup trailer.

“Georgia, you’re shaking. What happened? Are you okay? Did he hurt you again? Come sit down.” Concern flew out of Marisa’s mouth. 

Georgia turned to look out of the small window and saw Darren take a swing at Rory. The security guards broke the two men apart; After a few minutes of talking to each man they were escorting Darren away. 

“Are you okay?” Georgia vaguely heard Colin ask her. She turned to look at him and softly nodded her head. 

The trailer door opened and she flung herself into Rory’s arms when she saw it was him. Tears streaming down her face as she was engulfed in his embrace. 

“Shhh. You’re safe now. He won’t hurt you again. I promise, my love.” Rory gently ran his thumbs across her cheeks to wipe away the escaped tears. 

“Do you know how much more intimidating you are when you’re in costume?” She asked quietly. Rory was dressed in full Sandor Clegane costume since he was on his final shoot for the season. “You’re my knight in shining armor!” 

“Aye, I do. Regardless, I think I got my point across. He won’t be back on set again, nor will he try to contact you outside of here either.” Rory leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. 

Colin cleared his throat nervously. “So I’m assuming you two are more than just friends?” 

“Yes, she’s my girl. Although we really haven’t put a label on it.” Rory grinned. 

“Colin, my job won’t be in jeopardy if he and I are together right?” Georgia asked. 

“No, as long as you still get your job done with the quality you’re capable of and in the allotted time you’ll be good.” He answered. “Georgia, I’m really sorry I didn’t believe you about Darren.”

“I’m sorry it had to come to all of this.” She responded. 

“I’ll let you get back to work then.” Colin walked out. 

“You two are just so cute! I knew something was up.” Marisa smirked. “Do you need help with anything?” 

“No, I think I’ve got it. I need to re-apply some of the prosthetic. Catch up with you after?” Georgia answered. 

“Sure thing.” Marisa grabbed her makeup bag and headed out leaving Georgia and Rory alone in the makeup trailer. 

“Have a seat.” She instructed him. 

“Why so bossy?” He grinned. 

“Are you okay? I heard lots of scuffling and then saw that he tried to hit you.” Georgia’s voice trembled and tears spilled out of her eyes again. 

“Aye, I’m fine. I won’t ever let anyone hurt you again.” Rory pulled her close. “You mean so much to me.” Georgia leaned in and kissed him gently on his lips despite him being in full makeup and costume as Sandor. 

She looked at her watch and knew she didn’t have long before he had to be back out on set. Between the sweat from the heat and then the fight with Darren she would have to replace a good chunk of his scar quickly. 

Rory couldn’t stop looking at Georgia while she worked. The way her soft hands felt against his beard as she gently turned his face. His thoughts kept drifting to their date night. He had always been such a private guy, yet he had the urge to pull her close and dance with her in the middle of a crowd. He didn’t care what people thought, as they had walked hand in hand, lost in each other. What mattered is she made him extremely happy. 

“You smiling like that is making this harder for me.” Georgia warned. 

“I’m sorry. You make me smile.” He winked up at her. 

“I’m almost finished, just a little longer.” 

Rory was lost in thought again, this time picturing her on his boat, teaching her to sail; Making love to her under the moonlight. Going back to the states with her to meet her family. “I’m falling in love with you!” The thought slipped from his mind and out his mouth.


	9. Future

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a short chapter, but wanted to get something posted! Oh, I’m loving all the new Rory photos from the London premiere of Jumanji, what do you all think?!

“I think I’m in love with you, and I’m terrified.” Rory looked up at Georgia whose jaw hit the floor. “But I’m so ready to take that chance with you.” 

He couldn’t help but think back on the conversation they had during their dinner date. Rory knew from the moment she told him she had put her house up for sale in Georgia that she was willing to travel with him. He was at first, stunned. But a sense of ease fell over him.

At first when he'd asked her if she would like to sail with him, she had seemed apprehensive. Now the possibilities seemed endless. Even if he snagged another gig in between shooting for GOT, Georgia also had options with nursing or aesthetics.

It truly seemed like everything was falling perfectly into place. 

Rory had talked at great length to his sister about Georgia, which was a first. He never really allowed himself to open up to his sister about the women in his life, mostly because the relationship was never serious enough. Seemed to be a pattern; He never really found himself in serious relationships. His sister spent a lot of time encouraging him to open himself up and here he was doing just that. 

“I was talking to my sister recently. She told me that a person can live without one that they had loved without before. I’ve done that for years. It’s true, I can live without you, but the thing is, I don’t want to. I want to see the world with you, Georgia.” 

“I think I’m in love with you, too,” she whispered as he wiped a tear from her eye.


End file.
